Ford adds some zip to its big and roomy utility
Is the Ford Explorer Sport actually sporty? Not exactly. Rather, think of it as a full-size utility that delivers plenty of pep, a decent ride and road manners, plus better-than-average comfort.
The Explorer is the mid-point model in Ford’s tall-wagon lineup. It’s bigger and more rugged than the compact Escape, but the Explorer is dwarfed by the giant Expedition and the extended-length Expedition Max.
Previously a special trim package available on XLT models, the Sport comes into its own for 2018 as a separate model that’s one rung below the top-level Platinum. The Sport is also easy to spot, with blacked-out grille, door handles, roof rails, lower bumpers, body-side trim and special 20-inch wheels. The result is a leaner- and meaner-looking vehicle, but not quite as threatening as the Explorer Police Interceptor model that various law-enforcement agencies are wholeheartedly embracing.
As tough as the outside looks, the interior skews toward luxury. Heated leather-covered seats (10-way poweradjustable in front) are the order of the day, along with dual-zone climate control, voice-activated navigation, heated steering wheel and a power- folding 50/50 third-row bench seat. Order the second-row buckets in place of the standard bench and they come with power-assist folding.
The Sport’s dashboard and control panel are intuitively laid out, with clearly marked buttons and switches and an oversize audio-volume knob that has obviously been designed for ease of use, even when wearing gloves.
Pushing the starter activates a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that delivers 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers beat the pants off lesser Explorers that make do with either a standard non-turbo 3.5-liter V6 (290 horsepower and 255 pound-feet) or an optional turbocharged 2.3-liter fourcylinder (280 horsepower and 310 pound-feet).
Along with smooth and quiet power delivery, the well- behaved twin- turbo V6 won’t put too big a dent in your fuel bill. Its official combined 18 mpg city/ highway rating is only one mpg shy of the base V6’s rating and three short of the four- cylinder’s. Trailering up to 5,000 pounds will definitely increase fuel consumption, however.
Regardless of engine choice, a six-speed automatic transmission handles the shifting duties.
The Explorer’s all-wheel-drive hardware — standard in the Sport — comes with driver-controlled settings for Normal, Mud/Ruts, Sand, and Snow/Grass/Gravel. Each setting optimizes the engine, transmission and traction control for the conditions.
Once behind the wheel, you’re reminded of the Explorer’s size. Yet, the big Ford doesn’t feel particularly unwieldy once you raise the seat to a point where you’re looking down along the hood. It also helps that the windshield pillars are positioned in such a way to provide a wide field of vision. That’s important since it makes the Sport easier to maneuver in traffic and into and out of tight parking spaces.
On the highway, the 5,000-pound Sport’s engine loafs along at low rpms and the cabin is quiet, with minimal wind and road noise. Given its size, there’s some crosswind pushing to contend with, but nothing too annoying.
The base Explorer lists for $33,150 (including destination charges), but the Sport inflates this by nearly $14,000 to $46,950. Options include a twin-panel moonroof, hands-free liftgate, built-in dual-headrest DVD entertainment system, heated - and- cooled front seats plus active-safety technology (emergency braking, forward-collision warning and active cruise control).
With or without the extras, the Explorer Sport’s good looks, spacious cabin and a powertrain that loves to run, are hard- to- ignore attributes.